Spanish-style fish and mussel stew Print E-mail
Written by Claire Hopley, 2006   
ImageSpain has many regional fish stews, usually made with whatever fish is in season, so choose which fish looks best the day you make this soup. Saffron tastes good with most fish, and saffron and mussels are a marriage made in heaven.


1⁄2 tsp saffron
50ml (2fl oz) olive oil
75g (2–3oz) skinless almonds
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
3 slices from a baguette, without crust
4 tbsp coarsely chopped parsley
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
400ml (1 x 14oz can or 2⁄3pt) chopped canned or fresh tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 litre (11⁄2pt) fish or chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1⁄4 tsp cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
350g (3⁄4lb) firm white fish such as monkfish or swordfish, cut in chunks
350g (3⁄4lb) tender white fish such as haddock or hake, cut in chunks
2–3 dozen mussels, washed and bearded

Crumble the saffron in a cup and stir in 100ml warm water. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over low heat. Add the almonds and garlic, keeping them on one side of the pan. Place the bread slices on the other and gently fry until everything is becoming golden. Stir in a tablespoon of the parsley, then with a slotted spoon remove everything except the oil to the food processor.

Whiz to pulverise the almonds, garlic and bread. Add the onions and celery to the oil in the pan and cook gently for 3 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes and oregano followed by the stock, bay leaf, cinnamon and about 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the almond mixture to this, and cook gently with a lid on the pan for 20 minutes.

When the tomato mixture has simmered, add the firm fish and half the remaining parsley to the pan. Three minutes later add the softer fish and place mussels on top. They need not be submerged. (First discard any mussels that don’t close when tapped on edge of worktop.) Put the lid on the pan and simmer for another 5 minutes or until mussels have opened.

Spoon into deep dishes and serve sprinkled with parsley and with flavourful breads such as olive bread or French country bread.

Serves 6
 
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